New American Idol starts tonight!!

[Lathum]

I didn't see a thread started.

I hope the show has learned that the auditions have become a contrived annoyance and changes them, but I'll still be watching.

[rkmsuf]

Seacrest......in!

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I didn't see a thread started.

I hope the show has learned that the auditions have become a contrived annoyance and changes them, but I'll still be watching.

Unfortunately, I doubt they've realized this.

I'll either tune in tonight or watch it on TiVO tomorrow, but depending on how it goes it's possible that I write it off until the Hollywood stage..

Although, the whole writer's strike thing could influence that decision.

[finkenst]

Originally Posted by wade moore

Unfortunately, I doubt they've realized this.

I'll either tune in tonight or watch it on TiVO tomorrow, but depending on how it goes it's possible that I write it off until the Hollywood stage..

+1

Although, the whole writer's strike thing could influence that decision.

not bloody likely for me. :-)

[Northwood_DK]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I hope the show has learned that the auditions have become a contrived annoyance and changes them, but I'll still be watching.

So any chance American Idol is rigged?

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by Northwood_DK

So any chance American Idol is rigged?

Of course it's rigged. Would be silly to think otherwise considering the winner has to sell records for the show and up until the voting it's all judges opinions. Even after that to some degree I would guess it's contrived where they can.

The people that pay to vote are the fascinating ones. Big props to Fox/cellular company for making big money on this.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I didn't see a thread started.

I hope the show has learned that the auditions have become a contrived annoyance and changes them, but I'll still be watching.

I've been following the auditions and the top 50 fairly closely for the past couple of months, as I find the process and the spoilers more interesting than the show itself, frankly. A couple pointers, which I'll put a spoiler tag on just in case (some of this is in recent news articles, but not all of it):

Spoiler

1. Auditions will be more of the same - obvious fakers wanting TV exposure and few honest, clueless people. Probably more mentally challenged/socially awkward types like last year.

2. In Hollywood, contestants were allowed to use instruments. Some failed spectacularly.

3. Following the recent trend of contestants (particularly Melinda Doolittle and that Guy Smiley dude who everybody loved but got cut early on), AI is turning into more of a recycled failures contest than an undiscovered talent contest. Assuming details of who has made the top 50 are accurate, a large number of them have had their chance and failed, but are now being repackaged and sold to the public as "undiscovered talent."

4. The top 24 will be chosen at the end of the month and aired in mid-February.

5. There will be more emphasis on backstories and the contestants themselves, and fewer (perhaps no) mentors during theme weeks. They realize they screwed up with this and spent too much air time focusing on the mentors instead of the contestants, which is partly what they are blaming the ratings decline (1%) on.

That's about it. You can find pics, bios, myspace pages, previous albums, etc., for most of the top 50 contestants around the web. One guy who made it actually was nominated for a Grammy as part of a duet, but once he made the top 50, he quit and signed a deal with someone else. Considering the previous ties some of these people have, it will interesting to see if anyone else does that as well, since I don't think they sign the binding contracts until the top 24 stage.

[jeheinz72]

For the first time ever, I'll be watching this season (yeah thanks bunches writers...).

Time to see if this show is really all that entertaining. I've caught audition eps once or twice before but I've never actually watched past that.

I feel like I'm making some sort of deal with the devil and my thumb visibly twitched when I setup the Tivo to record this potentially vile show.

[JeeberD]

I should have known AI would draw K out of the woodwork...

I'll be watching and trying to not be too annoyed at the talentless faker auditions...

[Buccaneer]

2. In Hollywood, contestants were allowed to use instruments. Some failed spectacularly.

I saw that and wondered how they know this?

[EagleFan]

So farI have to say: "Go kick boxing chick!!!"

[Raiders Army]

I can't believe that dude dressed up like Princess Leia...and then waxed his chest.

[oliegirl]

I've never watched AI during the regular season, only the last 1 or 2 episodes. I watched it tonight because the stupid writers have left nothing decent on tv. I was entertained through parts of it, the really horrible guy who sang at the beginning and Randy and Paula were just cracking up...that was funny, but the rest of the bad singers just annoyed me because they are stupid. I wish they'd show more of the people who actually have talent and get to Hollywood.

[st.cronin]

Originally Posted by oliegirl

I've never watched AI during the regular season, only the last 1 or 2 episodes. I watched it tonight because the stupid writers have left nothing decent on tv. I was entertained through parts of it, the really horrible guy who sang at the beginning and Randy and Paula were just cracking up...that was funny, but the rest of the bad singers just annoyed me because they are stupid. I wish they'd show more of the people who actually have talent and get to Hollywood.

+1

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

I saw that and wondered how they know this?

What do you mean? Hollywood Week was the week after Thanksgiving. Right now, they have whittled the contestants down to the top 50. In a couple of weeks, they will do the cut-down to 24 while on the show, they are still showing auditions and then Hollywood Week thru mid-February.

The stuff about there being a bunch of backup singers, failed artists, and otherwise professionals is pretty dead-on, though. One of the Executive Producers basically admitted to MTV that it's becoming increasingly difficult to find undiscovered talent, so they're not going to turn away people with professional backgrounds. In this competition, you've got a Grammy nominee, a Star Search winner, a contestant from the failed AI-ripoff The One, someone from an MTV show called Cheyenne, a guy from Making the Band, a friend of Kat McPhee who trained with her mom, and my favorite - a now-alt rocker who used to be in a boy band and once dated Britney Spears.

I'll try not to post often, since I know too much and don't want to give anything away about specific people. I just find the background stuff so much fun to dig into.

Oh, and that chick from Oregon is beyond hot.

[Raiders Army]

That Star Wars chick second to the end should've hooked up with the dude who shaved his chest.

[Buccaneer]

K,

I'm not up on the pre-24 stuff, I had thought that Hollywood was where it starts with the 24.

Good to see you back anyways.

[JeeberD]

So was that Egyptian dude for real or was he pulling a Borat?

[Anthony]

this show is such a farce. it was its purest before William Hung. i don't understand why they keep feeding the monster by allowing this nonsensical audition process. it's not funny and a waste of everyone's time.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Oh, and that chick from Oregon is beyond hot.

Yes, she is and she has a very good voice from what little we've seen. My early favorite to win it all.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

Yes, she is and she has a very good voice from what little we've seen. My early favorite to win it all.

She should be.




News article about her signing record deal in 2001:
hxxp://www.bmi.com/news/entry/233653

Current management bio page listing career highlights:
hxxp://www.kristylee.net/kristy_biography.htm

[rkmsuf]

too much hair

[NoSkillz]

Even my wife thinks she's adorable. Now that's saying something!

[NoSkillz]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

too much hair

Maybe this is more your type...

[Anthony]

i like Britney shaved, but it's not the top of her head i'm thinking of.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

too much hair

That's for tying around your waist while you "go for a ride."

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

That's for tying around your waist while you "go for a ride."

yeehaw!

[Raiders Army]

This is like watching Pamela Anderson. You know she's hot, but because of what else you know about her, you wouldn't touch her.

[oliegirl]

What about that super creepy dude who sang the Stalker Song to Paula???? I was shocked they let him go on as long as he did...he was staring right at her and kept taking steps getting closer and closer to her. Simon looked more freaked out than she did...I kept thinking "I can't believe security hasn't tackled this guy".

And why did they put him on the air? Didn't that pretty much give him exactly the attention he wanted???

[korme]

You are definitely a girl

I died laughing during that song, he was obviously a jokester, apparently he's a comedian and has the vid up on his website already...

Anyways, another solid episode tonight.

[Schmidty]

When is the typical r&b, and celine dion crap going to go out of style? Every single person they sent to hollywood sang the exact same genres, and there only seemed 2-3 different styles of vocals.

I like American Idol (especially watching my daughter really getting into it), but the repetitive singing is really starting to grate on my nerves.

[JeeberD]

Originally Posted by Shorty3281

You are definitely a girl

I died laughing during that song, he was obviously a jokester, apparently he's a comedian and has the vid up on his website already...

Anyways, another solid episode tonight.

Yup, one of the celeb-news shows was on while I was at the gym, and the dude is a musician with a website, band MySpace, all that. He did it, SURPRISE, to get some attention.

[rkmsuf]

"If you were a tub I'd caulk you."

LOLOLOLOLOLOL

[Subby]

The chick who did the vocal impressions is also insanely hot.

[JeeberD]

I liked her (visually) better than anyone on the first show.

I was wondering if the chick who was from DFW that they absolutely LOVED last year and got paired with Boobs and her classless friend in Hollywood but wound up forgotting her lines would be back, but they didn't show her...

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Subby

The chick who did the vocal impressions is also insanely hot.

Yes, yes. It's looking like this could be a very hot final 12 girls (even just based on the strength of those 2.)

[oliegirl]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

Yup, one of the celeb-news shows was on while I was at the gym, and the dude is a musician with a website, band MySpace, all that. He did it, SURPRISE, to get some attention.

Yeah...I saw that after I'd posted, but I guess it still bugs me that they showed it. There are a lot of people out there who will take that as more of a reason to actually stalk someone. True, I am a girl, but I just can't help thinking that showing that was not a good idea on the part of AI.

[Rizon]

Originally Posted by Subby

The chick who did the vocal impressions is also insanely hot.

QFT

[saldana]

the oriental dude last night was one of the funniest things i have ever seen...staged publicity stunt for attention or not...it was laugh out loud funny, especially Paula doing the sing along.

obviously it was for ratings/viewers, but who cares, it was hilarious.

[Raiders Army]

that guy with the fingernails was really disgusting. also, Seacrest was lame (no offense to handicapped people (see Lynch thread for the politically correctness of FOFC)) when he said "He nailed the audition and it was in the bag" or something like that. wahhhhhh wah wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

[RomaGoth]

American Idol sucks.

[JeeberD]

Glad you could add something constructive to the thread. Nice job...

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

Glad you could add something constructive to the thread. Nice job...

guarantee he's voted before. probably several times.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

guarantee he's voted before. probably several times.

He probably saved Sanjaya's ass a few times.

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

Glad you could add something constructive to the thread. Nice job...

Anytime!

Seriously, American Idol sucks. It is a horrible show. I would rather poke my eyes out with sticks than watch AI.

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

guarantee he's voted before. probably several times.

No.

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

He probably saved Sanjaya's ass a few times.

No.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by RomaGoth

Anytime!

Seriously, American Idol sucks. It is a horrible show. I would rather poke my eyes out with sticks than watch AI.

Hmm, now how would someone obtain such information. Oh yeah, by watching the show!

So you watch the show, vote for Sanjaya and post in the Idol thread. Oh yeah, you're a fan.

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

Hmm, now how would someone obtain such information. Oh yeah, by watching the show!

So you watch the show, vote for Sanjaya and post in the Idol thread. Oh yeah, you're a fan.

I never said that I HAVEN'T seen it. I just said that I don't like it. I remember watching a little bit of it here and there in the first season or two. In addition, with all the media attention it gets, of course I am going to know who some of the people on it are. My wife likes Kelly Clarkson. I think Carrie Underwood is nice looking. Clay Aiken is a putz, Sanjaya was absolutely horrid the one time I heard him sing.

Yeah, I hate American Idol. It is like Brittany Spears. I don't have to watch Entertainment Tonight to know what is going on...

[rkmsuf]

I AM YOUR BROTHER.